Memories of me
by izzy-simon
Summary: June and Day - After the Champion's epilogue
1. Chapter 1

June

I was lying in bed half asleep and half awake, just enjoying the comfort and warmth of being surrounded by Day's arms. Even though he seemed pretty much asleep,his arms were holding me tight, like if he were afraid of letting me go. Perhaps he was, perhaps this time that we've spent together since we met again has woken up some of Day's older memories. Memories of me. Or perhaps he was just having another of his nightmares, the ones with his mother's death. The death I caused. But ,of course, he doesn't remember that, he just knows the older and grown up June, the June that lived all her life as a soldier, serving the now Republican Colonies of America. Not the June that he once loved, that June died the day his memories of her disappeared. Even though, I still remember that June and her time spent with Day. "We've been through so much" I think, letting myself go to the old days, the days when I first met him, the days that we've spent in the Lake, as enemies at first, and then as lovers because our love was more powerful than any hate, more powerful that any Colony or any Republic. But apparently, not powerful enough to defeat a memory loss. "Stop torturing yourself with that" I remind to myself that I am with Day again, that I am at his bed with him right now. That our love still remains. But it's not like it was because, as I once promised Tess, I'm going to be good to him . We've got a second chance to start fresh and I'm not going to waste it by being the old me, the June that wasn't good for Day. No, I'm a different June now, a better June.

Day suddenly wakes up, distracting me from my thoughts, and he looks desperately at me. I turn the lights on. "What's wrong, Day?" I ask but he doesn't reply, he just stays there staring at me with a confused look in his eyes like he doesn't remember who he is. "Oh please no, not this again" I think "Don't take his memories again". I shiver at the thought of Day forgetting all this months that we've spent together, the thought of losing him again. I control my panic and stabilize myself. "I won't lose him again". "Day, look at me." I say to him, holding his face with my hands. "I'm June. Don't forget me, please, I'm June. We met a few months ago, remember? Going to Tess's party…" My voice breaks before I can finish the sentence and a wave of panic runs through me when I still see that confused look on his eyes. "I'm June" I say before I start to cry "I'm June."

"June" he finally says, and his look changes. He doesn't have that strange confused look, I actually see something else in his look. Something that I thought I will never see again: I see recognition. He remembers me, the old me. "June" he says again, as if he wanted to taste the sound of my name on his lips. "I-I remember. June, I-"he stops and the biggest smile I've ever seen crosses his face. Then he leans over and kisses me, but this time he kisses me differently of the way he kissed me an hour ago. He kisses me like the 17 years old Day used to kiss me and finally, after all this years of suffering and loneliness, I 'm happy. I'm finally happy.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Well, hello. This is a Day version. I really don't know if I'm going to keep writing this story because , at least, right now I'm not that inspired but I guess I'll see. Hope you like it **_

Day

"She's not much taller than Tess and definitely lighter than Kaede. For a second it seems like the crowd's attention has made her umcomfortable and I'm ready to dismiss her as a real contender until I study her again. No, this girl is nothing like the last one. She's hesitating not because she's afraid to fight,or because she fears losing,but because she's thinking. She has dark hair tied back in a high ponytail and a lean, athletic build. She stands _deliberately_, with a hand resting on her hip, as if nothing in the world can catch her off guard. I find myself pausing to admire her face. For a brief moment,I'm lost to my surroundings."  


The first time I saw June. That's the first thing that comes into my mind when I wake up. All of a sudden, the lost memories hit my brain so fast that for a moment I don't remember anything. "Where am I?" And then I see her. She's sitting right next to me, looking at me with concern and terror. She keeps repeating something but I just stare at her beautiful face because I'm pretty sure that I've seen her before. And then, I remember.

"June" I think I whisper but I'm not sure. That urge to kiss her is so strong that clouds my thoughts, so I kiss her. Since I woke up in that hospital ten years ago, without two years of my memory, I always felt that something was missing, I felt empy. But now, kissing June, I realize what was missing...it was her. June, this beautiful, dangerous, headstrong and perfect girl I fell in love with. God, I missed her.

We separate from the kiss to take some air and I notice that she's crying, so I lean a hand to dry her tears.

"June" I whisper softly, like if it was the first time I've ever said her name. She looks at me, and I look at her, and as if we were coordinated we start laughing. We laugh for the terrible things we've been through, for all our loses, for the good days and the most important of all, we laugh for our bloody bad luck. Seriously, I should write a book about this someday.

I keep laughing until I remember the other memories that I forgot. My mom's death, John's death, The Republic and the Colonies war. I stumbled on the bed and I just lay there. It all seems so far away, like if it was on another life, but it still hurts. June notice that I'm not laughing anymore and lays beside me, holding my hand.

"It's okay" she says, as if she knows what I'm thinking. "It's all over, we have a better life now".

I turn around to see her and I kiss her forehead. "Yeah, I know" I whisper in her ear. And I do believe it…right?


	3. Chapter 3

**_I actually don't know what I'm doing, I just write what comes into my mind. I hope you don't hate it :)_**

**June**

Day is making breakfast. Yes, you heard well... Daniel Wing is cooking. I couldn't believe it either, I just went to the bathroom for a second and when I returned Day has started to make waffles. Shocking, right? He'd never done that so I guess he's in a really good mood. I'm in a really good mood, I mean, how often do wishes like this come true? I'm kind of scared, though, that someday Day will turn his head at me and look at me the same way he did when he didn't remebered me. I shiver at the thought of going through all of these again. "Please, don't" I silently wish when someone knocks the door. Day stops cooking and turns his gaze up at me with raised eyebrows so I go to see to the door slot. "It's Tess" I murmur and, as if we were thinking the same thing, Day nods and goes back to cooking. I open the door. "Hi!" I shout at her, I just can't control my excitment.

"Hi, guys" she says and enters the house "I hope I'm not interrup-" Tess reaches the kitchen and stares at Day atonished, and for a moment I thought that she also realized the way that Day's look have changed but then she just laugh. "Is Day really cooking or am I still dreaming?"

"Ha-ha, very funny" Day mumbles. "But with that attitud you won't earn any waffles"

"Who cares? I bet they taste awful" she grimaces of disgust.

"The faith you have on me is heartwarming" Day says drying a false tear from his eye.

"I do have faith in you, I just wouldn't trust you any objet you could possibly set on fire" she says pointing at the pan Day was holding.

I don't understand how they can make jokes when I'm dying of the excitment. I have to tell her NOW. And when I was about to explode, Day says:

"I've always been good with fire or you don't remember that bombs I used to set with Pascao and the Patriots?"

Tess's face freeze. That was the kind of reaction I've been waiting for.

"W-What did you just say?" she stammers with confusion.

"You know, the Patriots." Day speaks calm and quiet. "You don't remember the Patriots? How strange considering you've spent some time with them after that Elector's assasination mess."

Tess's face is priceless. With her jaw open, she looks at me, and I just nod at her.

"Well..." she composes herself and says "sorry to dissapoint you but, not even with your memories back you'll be able to cook". And then she runs and hugs him.

**Day**

It's so weird having my memories back. Not bad, just…weird. I can't understand how I lived 10 years of my life without remember any of this things, without remember June. I can't even imagine the pain she must've felt all this time, when I left to Antarctica and when I came back. She had to pretend not knowing me but I still don't know why, did she think I was better without her? Now that I think about it, she visited me in the hospital when I woke up from my coma, saying she was sent by the Republic to check if I was okay, I didn't recognize her back then but I still remember the hurted look on her face.

Tess distracts me from my thoughts by warning me that the waffles were going to get burned. I guess I'm not that good cooker after all.

"Day, be careful!" she shouts from the living-room "You're gonna burn the whole house". She's talking with June about how I got my memories back, Tess wants to know every detail.

It's also weird thinking about Tess. I mean, some things happened in that period that I forgot. Like when she kissed me, the feelings she had about me. I know that we clear these things up between us but 24 hours ago, I would've never thought of Tess being in love with me. You know what I mean? Weird. It's like all the things that I've known since 10 years ago are suddenly replaced by the old memories.

By the time I remember that I was actually cooking something, the waffles are already burned so I give up and throw it all away.

"What do you think about going out for breakfast?" I asked the girls that are sitting in the couch.

"I knew it, he fail, you own me 10 dollars." Tess said to June. She rolls her eyes and give her the money.

"At least he didn't set anything on fire" June responds.

"Yeah, I give him that"

"Girls, I'm right over here." I say waving my hands. "And again, your faith on me? Heartwarming"

"Whatever" Tess says "Let's go out"

We head to the door and June picks her bag from the coat rack but when she does, she accidentally drops a scarf so I bend to pick it up. When I get up I feel something pricking in the back of my head. It's a familiar pain...like a headache.


	4. Chapter 4

June

We were heading out of the coffee bar when Day's phone rings. He picks up and his expression changes at the instant he hears the voice at the other side of the line. He looks directly at me and I can't descifrate his look until he says "Hello, Elector".

"Damn" is all I can think. I try to pull out my most innocent face and turn to say something to Tess, thought all my senses are focused on Day's conversation.

"Yep, Eden's doing alright" Day says to Anden sounding quite irritated. After a while he says "Are you serious? Come on man, it's Saturday!"

I tense when I hear Day's tone of voice. I heard, even saw, Day talking to Anden in the past few months, in meeting and stuff and he always talked to him with respect. Now, with his memories back, he talks like if Anden was an old acquaintance he never really liked. No respect at all.

And even though after the war the power was divided between the Colonies and Republic's leaders, Anden still has half the power of the entire country and the way Days talks to him...That's just not the way you talk to Elector of the Republican Colonies of America.

He exchanges a few more words then, he hungs up and notice me looking at me. He grins with that polite and adorable smile of his and I could've kiss him in that exact moment if it weren't for what he says next:

"Your _boyfriend_ wants to see us"

"But my _boyfriend_ is already looking at me" I say and smile like those little girls do when they want their parents to believe that they've cleaned up their bedrooms when actually they've just hidden everything under the bed.

I know he's just joking, he knows that I love him. I mean, after everything we've been through I thought it was kinda obvious but maybe he kept a little bit of resentment inside of him.

"Really? I don't see Anden here" he says looking around him in fake disbelief.

"Oh come on!" I beg him curled in his arm "It's been years, can we just move on?"

He grins again and looks down at me and I _know _that he's just joking.

I lean in to kiss him but he turns his head.

"Are you sure you wanna kiss me? Wouldn't that make Anden jealous?" he asks smiling, inches away from my face.

"Oh, he'll handle it" I say and and kiss him like I did this morning. Like if I didn't want to let him go...and I don't.

Day

We waved Tess goodbye ,because she was already walking away from us when she saw us kissing, and we went to see Anden. Anden, the Elector, the guy who ruled better than his dad. The Elector, the guy who fell in love with June too. The Elector, the guy who set my brother free, but always The Elector and always just a guy. Funny thing to think that just a few hours ago, he was just the Elector to me and now my memories have changed it.

So I don't like the Elector, true. But I do need to see him, to ask him for something and yes, it's so urgent that I will see him...on a Saturday and Saturdays are my happy days.

We're waiting now for Anden to come and recieve us because he's finishing some other meeting. Like, are you kidding? Why tell us to come here so urgently (on a Saturday) and then make us wait?

June constantly glares at me with a very concerned look and she looks so pretty when she's worried that I could just kiss her right now but when I think about this, the metal doors fly open and a guy, probably on his thirtys comes in with an impecable uniform and a wide white smile. Anden. He first looks at me and nods and then turns his gaze to June and he freezes, his smile flickers. His jaw's tight, his eyes are very open and for a moment I think he forgets why he's here o what's he doing. He looks very surprise like if June was the last person in the planet he would've thought he'd see today when he specifically asked me for the two of us to come...didn't he? For a moment I can't remember our conversation but then June clears her throat and push me back into the present.

"Elector" she says and nods with her head. I can see Anden's hurting look now but just a glimpse of it because he quickly recovers from his stupefaction and nods back very politely and formally.

"Mr. Wing, Ms. Iparis, so good to see you...both" he says still noding very slowly. "But if I didn't misunderstand our last conversation Mr. Wing, I remember telling you to come alone" his gaze returns on June.

Oh, so he _did_ say it.

"I don't see why is that so important, anything you want to tell me, you can tell to her too...Elector" I add almost forgetting that Anden doesn't know that I have my memories back and I have to act like I still respect him.

Anden's gaze is on me now, almost pleading with his eyes.

"I'm sure I can" he says "but what I wanted to tell you is of highly national importance, maybe even international."

"Not that I don't trust you" he adds quickly when he sees June's offended look. "But, you know...protocol"

June's face turns as serious and solemn as his.

"Of course I understand, Elector. I apologise for my intromission" she nods goodbye to Anden and smiles at me before she reaches the door and then leaves.

Anden exhales and I bet that he's been holding his breathe the whole time.

"So, _Elector_" I say once I think he has recover. "What's so important that June can't hear and that have to be told on a Saturday?"

"Let's go inside the conference room, Mr. Wing".

_The conference room._ What a pretentious name for something as simple as a table with a few chairs. The_ Elector_ sits at the head of the table and I sit a few chairs away, almost in the middle of table.

"Well" he clears his throat and starts speaking. "I will go straight to the point...you need to go back to Antarctica"


	5. Chapter 5

Day

"WHAT?" I'm so shocked that I don't even know if I say this at loud or just in my head. But what the hell did he just say? Me? Back on Antarctica?

"Er... excuse me. I think that sounded a little bit rude" Anden apologizes, seeing my surprised and shocked expression.

He thought that that was rude? My heart had literally stopped, and he apologizes for being rude?

He makes a quick smile and looks all over the room. I can tell that he's nervous and really uncomfortable.

"Er...yeah" I reply imitating his nervous tone of voice. I forget about all kind of courtesy. "What the hell are you talking about? Why do I 'need' to go back to Antarctica?"

Anden frowns at this. He's used to me being polite and I bet this kind of respond remembers him of the old Day. Well, he better get used to it because the old Day is back.

"Well..." he starts to say very slowly "It's not something you need, it's more as something that the Republican Colonies of America need"

I can't help but laugh at this.

"Oh, please" I say containing the laughter. "That's bullshit, just tell me what is it that you need me to do".

Anden's face is priceless, he's the shocked one now.

"O-okay" he says kind of confused, he's suspecting that something's changed on me. "We've been having this...problem"

"What kind of problem?" I ask right away.

"It all started when we allowed to change some laws. It was a Chancellor's idea, he wanted to get back to some, well, some traditions of the past. "he stops and looks at me but I don't understand what that has to do with me so I just shake my head "He wanted to start by changing the way of payment. Our ancestors's currency was "the dollar" so we changed the Notes for dollars. And I agreed to it because I thought that it would help to the people that still have some resentment towards the Colonies or the Republic's population, to make them remember that, just like our ancestors, we are now a united nation."

"Did it help?" I ask. They're very few the people that doesn't believe in unification. They're pretty much closed-minds elders who don't want to move onto the future.

By the devastated look on Anden's face I can tell that it didn't help.

"No" he replies. "It made things worse".

"Um, okay. But what do the elders protestants have to do with me going back to Antarctica?".

"I allowed these changes" he continues " with one condition: people, besides the protestants, couldn't know the reason why we've done this. The Chancellor's always been more...opened about the kind of information he let people know about, but I thought differently."

"Why?" I inquire "Is that a bad thing?"

I remember that back then, when the Republic and the Colonies were still on war, I found out about a lot of things that the Republic had hide from us, like information about other nations. The Colonies, however, kept their people more informed about these kind of things and I hated the Republic so much when I found this out.

Almost as much as I am hating Anden for not wanting people to know the truth.

Anden seems to catch the tricky question.

"Of course not" he responds almost convincingly "I think it's good, it's essential for people to know some things" and then he adds "Important things"

"So the reason why you change the laws that affects every citizen in the country is not important enough to you?"

Anden sighs, like if he's been expecting me to say this.

"Mr. Wing" he whisper almost inaudible and clearly irritated. "Please".

"Okay" I say "continue your story."

"The Chancellor agreed to my term of not telling anyone the reasons why we've done this and some laws were changed. People wondered about this replacements but they weren't curious enough to question them so everything was fine. Until we found out that someone in the government (we still don't know who) spread the word about the reason we've been changing laws, the gossip didn't spread much because we reached to stop it but the damage was already done." he stops and passes a hand through his hair. "Some people knew the truth and I guess it wouldn't have had much of an impact if we were have been honest since the beginning. They started making meetings. Clandestine meetings. We only found out because of some spies we had among them..."

I give him a disapproval look but he doesn't notice me, he's too concentrated on the story.

"The idea of going to the old habits our ancestors had, attracts them. They want everything to go back as it was before" he looks so desperate, like if what he was saying meant a whole change in the history of humanity but I don't get it. Was it that terrible to change a few things? What was the worst that could happen? Radical changes on the clothes, the food, the architecture, I guess. Was it really that bad?

"Why is that so wrong?" I finally ask him because I really don't get it.

He looks at me shocked and frightened, like if I were crazy.

"Mr. Wing" he says slowly. "They've studied the past and they want everything as it was before. Even the governance"

I still don't get it but I can see how this affects them. Nonetheless, how does this affects me?

"So..." I ask again.

"Our ancestors were ruled by a democratical system, do you know what does that mean?"

I shake my head even though I kinda of remember that word from somewhere: "democratical".

"It means that the people vote to choose their representative"

"You mean, that the people can choose who the Elector is?"

"There would be no Elector, the position closer to that is a person called President"

"And the people choose this person"

Anden nod horrified.

I would've never EVER thought that that could be even an option. It seems so...free.

So okay, this wouldn't just be a change on the clothes or the food. This could be important but yet, I still don't understand why am I involved in this?

"What do I have to do in all these?"

"Daniel" Anden says very slowly and I can't decipher the look on his face. "This people have already chosen their President...And they chose you."


	6. Chapter 6

Day

Now of course everything makes sense. Anden wants me to go back to Antarctica because he needs to get rid of me, I'm a threat to the government. To him. I don't need him to tell me that, the look on his face speaks for itself. But I'm sorry, I can't do what he wants me to do. I can't go back to Antarctica and from all the reasons why I should stay, there's one that's the most important to me:

"I can't leave June" I whisper before I realize that I said it at loud.

Anden's face contorts into a grimace and I know that I shouldn't have said that. No when the Elector of the entire country wants me out of it but that never stopped me before.

"I won't leave June, specially not after…"

"Specially not after what?" he asks fretfully.

"Nothing" I reply. He doesn't need to know that I've got my memory back. Not yet. "Nothing, I just can't."

"It won't be for long, we just need a little time for people to calm down and see reason. But for that we need you out of the country, you confuse them too much."

"When you say 'we', who are you referring to?"

Anden blinks once, my question disconcerted him.

"I refer to the…" he stops and considers his answer "to every citizen of this nation, of course. For the future that awaits them, changing the government will not be beneficial to them, to any of us. It would be chaotic, we need order for our nation to thrive" he seems so convinced of his own words, like if nothing in the world could ever make him change his mind.

"If you agree to leave the country for a couple of weeks" he continues "we will arrange everything that you would ever need for your lodging, you won't have to worry about nothing. And I'm sure that Ms. Iparis would wait for you until you come back" he laughs at this but his expression shows nothing but sorrow "I'm sure she always will"

Okay, I have no idea what he's talking about right now but I have the feeling that there's something that's not been said to me. That June hasn't said to me but I let it pass.

It doesn't matter what he could give to me, it doesn't matter if June would wait for me, which I know she would, she has been waiting for me all these years and I cannot leave her. Not now, not ever.

And I'm about to tell him that, when I remember the real reason of why I agreed to see Anden, something that has been worrying me since I felt that headache this morning. Most people wouldn't worry about a headache, everyone has them once in a while. But I wasn't worried about a simple headache, it was _that_ headache. I haven't felt it since, at least, 10 years ago. It was the exact same pain I felt before I lost all my memories, when I was diagnosticated of brain disorder. When I was going to die, and now it's back. And I know that it's not a coincidence that it's returned just when my memories came back too. And I can't die because I can't leave June so I have to do something about it.

"I'll agree" I say and before Anden can tell me what a great choice I've made for the country, I add "But with one condition"

"Anything" he replies.

"How's Antarctica doing with, you know, medical stuff?"

Anden frowns.

"Medical stuff? What do you mean?"

"Medicine. How developed is it there?"

Anden looks at me like if I were crazy.

"Antartica is the most developed nation when it comes to medicine." He says it like if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I nod. That means they can do better that what they've done to me here 10 years means there's chance I can be cured, that I won't have to leave June ever again after this.

"Good because I think I'd need some treatments again."

"Again?" Anden asks cautiously. He knows that I had treatments in the past but he thinks that I've forgot it, like I've forgot everything else. What he does not know is that I remember everything now.

"Yeah, like I needed them 10 years ago, remember? I moved to San Francisco so I could be treated for my disorder. "

Anden freezes and looks at me with a shocked expression on his face.

"W-what" he mumbles.

"You don't remember that?" I ask innocently "Oh, how can you possibly forget that? It happened when June was your Princeps Elect and I'm sure as Hell that you remember that".

"H-how do you know that?" he asks in complete disbelief while I try to hold back a smile.

"Oh, I haven't told you" I say as I dramatically hit my forehead with one hand. And then I smile "I have my memories back."

I swear I will remember Anden's expression for the rest of my life.


	7. Chapter 7

June

How long do meetings of highly national importance last? Because they've been in there for a couple of hours now but since apparently I'm not trustworthy I can't go in there to check what's taking them so long. I don't want to sound moanful but it's not like if I couldn't keep any secrets. I mean, I used to be a Princeps-Elect and I kept a lot of secrets of highly national importance. I know how these things work and, even if I don't want to admit it, I know how Anden works.

But the most important questions is: what does Day has to do with of all this? Is he in trouble? His memories've been back for half a day and he's already in some trouble? I can't help but smile. Yes, of course he could already be in trouble because that's something the old Day would do: cause trouble.

I walk around the park because I'm too nervous to stand still or sit on some bench. I need to think of something else and the first thing that comes into my mind is Eden. The other thing I'm also worried about. Eden's been having a hard time trying to adapt in our system. Apparently, they do it very differently in Antarctica and since that's where he's studied Engineering he wants to back there. But, of course, Day doesn't let him. Even though, Eden is an adult now, he won't go until his brother agrees to it. And Day could lost the memory of his entire life but he'd still be protective over Eden, some things will never change.

Eden's being trying to convince his older brother to let him go. He used to come to our house for dinner sometimes and never missed a chance to make a presentation, like with a projector and everything, showing Day statistics and graphics about how much progress he'd make in Antarctica if he let him go back. When he realized that every presentation required a lot of effort and that Day wasn't going to budge, he stopped coming for a while. So I was really surprised a month ago when he started showing up on Thursdays for dinner again. This time he didn't bring any projector but that didn't stop him for making comments like how many levels he had acquired back then when he was in Antarctica, or the projects he'd left in there. But this time it was more subtle, which made Day think that he was eventually going to give up. I personally don't think he will, and I think that Day should let him go but I can feel that he's scared to let him go anywhere without him. Even without the memories of when Eden was taken for experimentation, Day always felt like if he was going to lose him and never knew why. I couldn't tell him the reason why but by now he would've realized.

This takes me back to Day again. What was taking him so long?

Just when I was about to get in the building and look for him no matter what, he comes out. His gaze is lost in the pavement.

I draw near him but he doesn't notice me, he's lost in his thoughts.

"Are you in trouble?" I ask.

He startles when he notices me and them he smiles, that little and adorable smirk of his.

"Oh, sweetheart" he sighs "you have no idea."

Day

June's looking at me confused. I can tell that she's dying to know what happened and that she's a little bit offended that she's been left out.

I know I have to tell her everything, but not just yet. There's someone I need to talk to first.

I pick my phone and start dialing a number that I've dial so many times it should've been written in my mind with fire. But it's not, I've completely forgot his number. I don't even know how does it start. Does it start with a 5? With a 15? With a 51? I don't remember and it's really frustrating.

"Day" June approaches me but I step back. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine" I assure her but she doesn't buy it. "Really, I'm fine. I'll tell you everything that happened, every single detail" while I say this I know that's not completely true but I'll deal with that later. "I promise I'll tell you what happened but I have to do something first".

I give her a quick kiss on the lips and then I start running, hoping that, at least, I'll remember his address.

I just look back once and watch a speechless, very confused and very angry June and shout:

"You can start making dinner; I bet you 10 dollars you won't burn the whole house like I almost did this morning".

As turn back and keep running, I can feel her smiling. But then I remember what Anden told me, that they've changed Notes for dollars, which started the whole mess I'm in right now. Even if I win the bet, I'm not sure I want that money. I run faster.

Luckily, I do remember his address and when I make sure I'm in the right place, I ring the bell.

"Daniel?" His voice comes from the door intercom. There's a little camera in the front door and I bet he's seeing me through it. I wave at it and then a buzz tells me that I can open the door. I do it and I climb the stairs until I'm right in front of his door that's already open and there's he is, waiting for me.

"What's up, Eden?" I give him a quick hug. I can tell he's confused, I don't really come here very often, he usually stops by my place or I go to where he works. The place looks pretty much the exact same as it did when he rented it (I offered him my place but he wanted to be "more independent") . There's not a lot of furniture, just a red armchair, a metallic table with a couple of metallic chairs and a lot of boxes. Some of them have never been opened. At the back of the room there are two doors, one leads to the kitchen and the other to his room, that probably is just as slightly decorated as the living room.

"What are you doing here?" he asks concerned "Are you okay? Did something happen? Is June okay?" he looks behind me to see if June's with me.

"Relax, everything's fine." Removing the fact that the Elector of the country sees me as a threat that has to be eliminated and that I'm forgetting things and probably dying all over again, yes everything's fine. I obviously don't tell him that.

"So why are you here?" he combs his curly hands and takes of his glasses, there are dark circles under his eyes.

I sit on the red armchair and stretch my legs.

"Oh, that" I try to position myself in a comfortable way as I think of how to say next. "I was wondering what day is today?"

Eden frowns.

"What?" he asks half laughing.

"Just tell me, what day is today?"

Eden rolls his eyes.

"September 24th, why?"

"If I were you I'd mark this day on the calendar because today is the day when all your wishes come true "

Eden's suspicious. "What wishes exactly? I have a lot of them"

"The wishes why you never unpacked and why those boxes are still closed"

"Are you trying to say what I think you're trying to say?" he asks hopeful.

I nod. "Yes buddy, we're going back to Antarctica"

"You're serious?"

"Yeah but you can't tell June yet, let me do it."

He doesn't like that but he's so excited that he let it pass.

"Okay, I'd tell you pack but I think you've already done it" I say pointing at the boxes. He wanted to go back to Antarctica so badly that he didn't even unpack his things, he didn't even bother on decorating the place.

He laughs. "Are you kidding? I've packed months ago, I've never lost the hope."


	8. Chapter 8

June

No way, no. I'm not going to cook him anything, at least not until he gives me an explanation. A believable one. It's getting late and he hasn't came back yet. I start cleaning, because that's what I do when I'm nervous or anxious while I try to reassure myself that nothing's going on, that everything is fine. What could be possibly wrong? Day has his memories back. _Day has his memories back. _Everything is the way it's suppose to be. But yet, I feel kind of strange because I know that Day is keeping something from me, something important and I'm afraid that the exact same thing that happened when Day was sick and he wouldn't tell me is going to happen again. That he'd start keeping secrets from me because he thinks that that's going to protect me or that I'm not strong enough to handle the truth.

"I'm strong" I whisper to myself, I convince myself. But it's when door opens and he walks through it that I realize that it is true, I am strong, in almost everything except when it comes to Day. He 's my weakness, he's the one thing that keeps me from coming back to the June I was before I met him, I used to be stronger because I didn't have any weakness. I only had Metias and he could defend himself better than anyone I've ever known, so I wasn't scared, I thought nothing would ever happen to him. That nothing _could_ ever happen to him, he seemed to be invincible. But something did happen and I lost him. When I fell in love with Day I lost him too but now he's back, all of him. And I'm so afraid that something would happen to him, just the thought of it scares me to death. That's why he's my weakness, but his love is also the thing that makes me the strongest. So I'm strong, just as I am weak. I guess that's what love does to you.

"Are you okay?" Day asks me as he approaches me. My thoughtful face must have scared him.

I look at him and I raise my eyebrows.

"Are _you_?" I ask him "What happened? What took you so long?"

He shakes his head, his gaze troubled.

"I know you'll kill me but can I tell you later? I'm so tired right now."

I'm about to insist when I watch his face. He does look exhausted, like if he hasn't sleep in ages so I let it pass...for now.

I nod and smile to him. He comes near me and hugs me. I'm a little confused about the intensity of this hug, it feels like if he was leaning one me, like if I'd step away from this hug, he'd fall. Wich makes me think that something really bad should've happened if he was this concerned and exhausted.

"Day..." I whisper almost inaudible as I caress his gold hair. "what's wrong?"

He's looking at me now and he smiles at me but his eyes still look sad.

"It's just..." he says as he looks around him. "You didn't make the dinner."

I kiss him in the cheek first and then slowly and carefully on the lips. I want to let him now that I'm here for him, I'm not going anywhere.

"I think dinner can wait".

Day

"You can do this, you can do this, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS" I tell myself. But the truth is that I can't, I can't look at her in the eyes and tell her the truth, not the whole truth. I can't say goodbye to her, even if it's for a little while because she will convince me stay and I'll stay and Anden will be mad at me and I won't get the medical treatments that I might need. Because that part I definitely cannot tell her, since it's probably nothing and I don't want her to worry about anything.

"But you have to tell her."

And this discussion with myself goes on and on while I watch June sleep. She's so beautiful, I want to caress her cheek with my hand and my feel her soft and warm skin under it but I don't do it because I don't want to wake her up and ruin this peaceful and innocent side of her. But I can't fall asleep like her and enjoy this brief moment of peace and happiness because I'm too nervous and hungry. Let's just say that we never got to have that dinner.

I silently get up of bed and make myself a sandwich. As I eat, I grab a pencil and a piece and paper and write everything that I've torturing myself with this past few hours. I don't write the part of my illness or the part about this revolution who wants me as a their lider, since I promised Anden I wouldn't say anything but I pretty much sum everything up. When I finish I read it to see if there's something more I want to add, then I wrinkle it and throw it away. I write another one but I'm still no satisfied about it. I grab another piece of paper and I start again.

"I'm so sorry" I whisper in the darkness, but she can't listen.

June

Even before I open my eyes I know that something's wrong so when I do open them and see that Day is no longer next to me I'm not surprised. I'm scared, though. I had a nightmare while I was asleep, I don't remember it very well, just a blurry and unfocused Day watching me, saying that he was sorry and then heading out of the room with a bag on his shoulder. It seemed real. That's what it finally wakes me up: it seemed too real.

"Day?" I say as I search on the other rooms, in the living room, in the kitchen. "DAY?" I'm shouting now because I can't find him and I knew that I woudn't find him. The nightmare seemed too real.

"DAY"" I look at the closet and notice that half his clothes are gone. This cannot be happening, I can't lose him again. But the nightmare...

I look desperately around me, under the bed, behind the shower curtain. He's not here.

I'm about to open the front door and look for him on the street when I notice a note stuck on the door. The letters starts with a "Dear June" but I'm not focused on the note, just on the thing that's attached to the note. It's a paper clip ring.

The nightmare seemed so real because it was real.


	9. Chapter 9

_**I appreciate all your reviews so much and if you notice something I wrote wrong and want to correct me, please feel free to do so. I'm all about constructive criticism :) I almost fell off of my chair when I saw that I had 4,000 views. I mean four freaking thousand views, I don't know if that's a lot for you or too little, but to me it's huge! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story!**_

June

_"Dear June:_

_The first thing you should know is that this is not a goodbye, okay?_

_I would never leave you again, I won't._

_But right now there's somewhere I have to go and some things I have to take care of...alone._

_Not because I don't trust you but because there's someone who doesn't allow me to tell you._

_I promise that I'll explain everything when I come back._

_Because I will come back, don't ever doubt that._

_I don't know if you'd noticed but we always find a way to come back to each other._

_P.S: I love you._

_P.S of the P.S: I'm taking _Ee_den with me._

_P.S of the P.S of the P.S: Hold strongly onto the paper clip ring while I'm gone and try to forgive me."_

Now,there are 3 mistakes that Day made when he wrote this letter:

First mistake : Not telling me what's going on.

Second mistake: Not letting me help him.

And third mistake: Saying that he took Eden with him.

Because now I know exactly where he is, where Eden has insisted so much to go to: he's in Antarctica.

Now that one thing is solved, I try to breathe but it's still complicated because Day's still gone and, even though I know where he is, I still don't know why he left. And not knowing is killing me. And the fact that he can't tell me means that something big is going on.

I hold onto the paper clip ring, squeezing it with my hand, as he said I should, and read the note again. And when I finish, I read it again. And again, and again until I completely memorize it. And that's when I realize that there's something wrong with this letter. He wrote "Eeden" instead of "Eden", I read it so fast and desperately at the beginning that I didn't even notice it. Daniel Wing would have never EVER spell wrong his brother's name. And I know it wasn't an accident because the "Ee" is written differently. Straighter than the rest of the letters, and I know he wants to tell me something with this. Maybe it's some kind of code I have to figure out. I read the note another time to see if there are other letters written oddly but everything seems to be normal. Maybe I have to replace that "Ee" part with another letters, maybe that "Ee" part alone is suppose to tell me something.

I'm so concentrated thinking about this that I don't notice how strongly I was holding the paper clip ring until it starts bleeding right there where I was squeezing it against the palm of my hand. "Hold strongly onto the paper clip ring" That "strongly" part sounds pretty odd, too. Why should I hold it so strongly? I watch the palm of my hand and clear the blood out of it and see that it has left a mark. I held it so strongly it left a mark, the mark of two letters: "AN". And I know it's crazy and stupid and I shouldn't even try to do it but I replace that "Ee" part with the "AN". And the word "Anden"comes up.

At least now I know who can give me some answers.

Day:

Anden is waiting for us in the airport and every step that I take away from June feels like a knife stabbing me in the chest. The pain's so unbearable that I no longer recognize if it comes from my heart or from my increasing headache. By the time we arrive at the airport, I'm agonizing.

"Daniel" Eden says slowly, looking at me. "Are you okay?" I watch the excitement of his face being replaced by concern. He doesn't know about the return of my headaches either and it's better that way. Just like with June. _June._ The sound of her name echoes in my mind and the stabbing pain comes back.

"I-I'm fine" I force a smile but he frowns. He doesn't believe me, of course he doesn't. He saw me doing this thing multiple times ten years ago when I was sick and we were living in San Francisco with Lucy, our caretaker. And he didn't believe me back then either, he's always been too smart. But since he has no reason to suspect that something's wrong with me, he shakes his head and looks away, already thinking about something else.

When we arrive at the door I stop walking and stare at the soldier that's waiting for us. I blood freezes and my heart stops beating because I've seen that soldier before. I've seen him so many times in my nightmares, holding a gun, shooting my mom, and never hesitating, not for a second. In front of me there's the soldier that killed my mom. Thomas. But that's impossible because I watched him died. I must have a terrified look on my face because Eden stops too and asks me what's wrong. I turn to him. How can he not be just as panicked as I am? The soldier that killed our mom is like ten feet away from us and...I turn to see the soldier again and blink. I blink again, and another time after that. I blink a thousand times in one second because I can't believe what my eyes are watching. It's another soldier, it's not Thomas. It's a complete stranger. I look around but there's no one else here, I've imagined it all.

We approach the soldier and I can feel Eden glancing at me, worried. I ignore him and salute the soldier standing in front of me that's not Thomas. He just nods and automatically recites like a robot:

"The Elector's waiting for you"

I roll my eyes and follow him to wherever he's leading us to. "Of course he's waiting for us" I think "he just can't wait to get rid of me".

We arrive at the runway and see Anden wearing an impeccable white suit, he seems satisfied. Apparently I don't have to full any kind of paperwork because that would mean spend more time here and Anden wants me out of here as quickly as possible.  
He smiles when I'm close enough to hear him speak.

"It's a wise choice this one you're making. The nation thanks you very much, and so do I."

Wrong thing to say.

"Okay, let's clear things up a little bit" I say without trying to hide the bitterness in my voice. "I'm not doing this for you, you're the last person I would do something for. In fact, you're one of the reasons why I wouldn't have done this."

His smile's imperturbable.

"Nice to see we get along so well." and then he notices Eden and nods. "Mr. Wing".

"Elector" Eden nods back and quickly looks away.

"Alright, shall we?" he says pointing with his hand at the private jet he'd obviously rented for us.

I raise my eyebrows. "You're coming with us?"

"Oh no, no." he shakes his head. "It was just a manner of speaking. I can't escort you, I have too much work to do but the pilot will take care of everything. You have nothing to worry about, everything is already settled." he says and then does the strangest thing. He rests his hand on my shoulder as if he was going to hug me and gives me a pat on the back. He's a little more nervous now and I feel a flash light coming from somewhere behind me but when I look around, I see nothing. Just the enormous airplane.

"Have a safe trip" he says.

As we climb the stairs to get to the jet, I see the flash of light again, but there's no one around. And by the time I'm on the airplane I'm feeling too dizzy to think about it. It was probably nothing, I must have been hallucinating.


	10. Chapter 10

June

I was on my way out to talk to Anden when the phone rings. I didn't realize how nervous I was about having to do this until the phone rang and I had an excuse to postpone it. I don't really want to talk to Anden, and even less if the conversation is about Day. But I have to do it, Day wants me to do it...I'm just glad that I don't have to do it right now.

"Hello?" I say to the phone.

"June?" It's Tess, she sounds nervous.

"Tess? Are you okay?"

"Please tell me that Day's with you right now" she pleads.

I exhale.

"He's not".

Silence. Tess doesn't speak for several seconds and the only sound I hear is the one of her breathing. It's agitated.

"Tess" I mumble "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm not sure." she sounds frenetic "I mean, I wanted to believe that it wasn't true, I thought it was just a misunderstanding but..."

"Hey Tess, calm down. What are you talking about?"

She takes a while to answer.

"Maybe you should see it for yourself."

"What?"

She sighs. "Turn on the TV".

I do as she says but it takes me a while because I cannot stop my hands from shaking and it's difficult to press the power buttom of the remote control. I immediately start thinking about all the reasons of why Day would be on TV.

"He's had an accident"

"He's injured"

I'm too frightened to go harder on my dark thoughts.

And suddenly it's also difficult to breath.

I turn the JumboTron on and the first thing I see is Day's face. But he's not injured, he's not harmed. There's just this strange X red mark on his face. Like the ones that are on the drawing of a cigarette when it's not allowed to smoke somewhere. But why would someone "forbid" Day?

"We all remember Daniel Wing, better known as Day since he was a very important figure during the union of the Republican Colonies of America." a voice in off was saying on a gossip TV show. "However, after the war, he spent a long period in Antarctica and never really got to live on our restored new country. He came back to his homeland just a few months ago so it was a shocking surprise when we discovered that he was leaving again. The real questions is: why? Why he doesn't want to live in the Republican Colonies of America? Why does he prefer Antarctica over us? His unpatriotic behavior especially impacted our beloved Elector, who we all know has always had the best of relationships with Day."

My jaw's so open that it almost hits the floor. I can't believe what they're saying, I can't believe that they actually think that. After everything Day's done.

Now they're showing an interview with Anden, the heartbroken expression on his face is what really pisses me off. It's all an acting.

"Since he got back he couldn't stop talking about all the things that he saw in Antarctica, how everything was better there." Anden was saying to the camera. "And since we had a confident relationship he told me things that he didn't say to anyone else. He specially emphasized about our incompetence in comparison with Antarctica's developments. I tried to tell him and convince him that we are still a growing country, that he shouldn't lost hope on us. On his homeland. But he didn't listen and just a few days ago he confessed only to me that he couldn't stand it anymore and that he was going back to Antarctica, that he wished he would've been born there." He takes a pause and shakes his head in disbelief. I do too because I can't believe the lies coming out of his mouth. "I know I'm the Elector but first of all I'm a person and most important, I'm Day's friend, so even though his betrayal hurt me I accompanied him to the airport and yes, I confirm the rumors: Day's left us." When he finishes saying that, pictures of Day and Eden entering an airplane show up on the screen, pictures of Anden kind of hugging Day. And I don't understand anything.

The pictures are still on screen when the voice in off starts talking again.

"Shocking, sad, unbelievable news. Apparently Day's not the hero of the Republican Colonies of America after all since he feels no kind of attachments to the country that has watched him grow."

And then the picture of Day with the red X mark on his face shows up again. "Dissapointing" is what a huge subtitule below it says.

"June?" Tess's asking me on the phone that I didn't realize I've dropped. "June? Are you okay?"

I pick up the phone from the floor.

"You know that this is not true, right?" I ask her.

Two endless seconds of hesitation pass and then Tess responds:

"Of course I know that. And you know that but people don't. They will think it's true."

"Why would someone do that to Day?"

"You mean, why would Anden do that to Day"

Yes, Anden. Day wanted to tell me something about him, actually he started acting all weird after that meeting with him. Anden is the answer, or is he the problem?

June:

"I'm sorry Miss but the Elector is not available right now" is what Anden's gigantic bodyguard has been telling me the last fifteen minutes.

"But this is important!" I insist one more time "Tell him that June Iparis wants to see him, tell him that's urgent".

He seems to consider this for a minute and then nods and knocks on the door behind him.

He enters and I can't hear what he's saying but when he comes out, he makes me a sign to get in and so I do.

Anden's sitting on a chair at the end of a narrow metallic table and he's studying some papers but he turns his gaze at me when I come in.

"Miss Iparis" he says with a spotless smile. "I got the feeling you were going to come to me sometime soon" and then he gestures with his hand toward a chair for me to sit down. I don't.

"And why's that?" I try to maintain his exact same polite tone but I'm too angry.

"I'm guessing you are here for the...commercial that has been transmitted this morning."

"You call that a commercial?" I ask, incredulous.

"Commercial, announcement, whatever you'd like to call it."

"I'd call it a profanation! People's thinking the worst of Day now and we both know it's a lie".

Anden raises his eyebrows. I can't believe how much he'd changed, he's so superb and arrogant now, completely different from the Anden I used to know.

"Why would you say that it's a lie?"

Now I raise my eyebrows.

"Oh, you're right! How foolish of me to doubt your unconditionally friendship with Day! Or the fact that Day went to Antarctica because he hates it here. I'm actually thinking that you have something to do with that. "

"Did Day say that to you?" he asks, suddenly nervous.

"I don't know, he should've done it?" The rage is running through my veins with an intensity I didn't know I had inside of me. I'm scared of it, I can't control it.

You're strong. I remind myself.

"Of course not, because that's a lie. I had nothing to do with that".

"Okay, let's pretend you have nothing to do with that. Let's talk about why would you transmit that on TV then. What's your problem?"

I didn't realize he'd stand up until he's just a few inches away from me. He steps closer, so close that I'd like to step back but I can't because I don't want to look intimidated by him. So I keep my head high while he stares down at me.

"That" he says so close to me that I can feel his breath "is not the way you talk to the Elector, Miss Iparis"

"Just tell me why" I insist, ignoring his approachment.

"I cannot tell you that".

"Let me guess, matters of highly national importance"

He smirks, steps back and walks a few steps away, his back on me. I silently let go of the breath I was holding.

"Yes, indeed."

"I wouldn't be so happy about all this, you know?" I say "when Day comes back he'll fix everything and everyone will know that you're a liar."

He abruptly turns to me and I can see on his eyes something I always knew I would eventually see on Anden. I can feel his irrepressible desire of power, this is what's changed him so much. When I first met him I was surprised by his gentleness, I was expecting him to be like his father but he surprisingly wasn't. Back then I didn't realize that it was just a matter of time until the harshness that comes with being the Elector would corrupt him. It already has. His eyes remind me of his father's because that's what he's become. A monster.

"June, I thought you would've guessed it by now" and then he smirks again, a cruel and sharp smirk. "Day's not coming back".


	11. Chapter 11

Day

Antarctica hadn't changed at all. Not that I've been away for long. I don't know why I was expecting some big change, some difference now that I have the memories of ten years that I didn't have when I was living here. But everything's the same way it was when I left.

Anden was right, he did have all arranged. He hired a limousine's driver to wait for us at the airport and then he led us to the hotel where we were going to stay in. We checked in and the receptionist told me that our stay was already paid. She didn't tell me for how long, though. Just that the man who did the booking (Anden or one of Anden's assistant I suppose) said that he'll be in touch and that he'll arrange the flight back, we didn't have to do or worry about anything. When the receptionist's told me this, she emphasized on the "we didn't have to do or worry about anything" part.

"It's okay, Anden" I wish I could say to him "I won't run away without your permission, Geez"

Like if I could do that. Like if if I hadn't agreed to do all this he wouldn't have made me. Everything has to be done the way he wants it, the moment he wants it. It surprises me the similarity he has with his father. A shiver runs through my spine when I picture the image of Anden's father in my head. The old Elector. No, Anden's not like his father...yet.

We go to our assigned rooms and I'm so tired that I don't even bother inspecting them, I bet Anden's picked something glamorous and expensive, so I just lie down in the glamorous and expensive bed, hearing Eden unpacking some of his stuff. I want to tell him to chill out a little bit because we're not staying here for long but the bed is so comfortable that it doesn't let me think about anything but sleep. So I fall asleep.

When I wake up, Eden's gone. He left a note saying that he was going to visit some of his friends and that he'll be back for dinner. So basically, I have four hours until he gets back and that's enough time for me to do what I came to do here. I grab a jacket because it's freezing cold out there and I walk through the door. Heading to the hospital.

Apparently, Anden had also arranged the "medical stuff" I asked for because when I ask the receptionist where the nearest hospital is, she indicates me on a mini-GPS a hospital a few blocks aways from here and tells me that I have an appointment at five o'clock.

The hospital I'm at right now it's nothing like the hospitals back at home. Not even the hospitals that I used to visit when I was living here. Even though I'm only familiarized with the psychology section of hospitals, since that's where I used to go the past ten years, for my every-day therapy sessions, I can tell that this place is better than the rest. It looks like a place where famous people take their children when they're sick, a place for rich people. Obviously, the rich always have it better.

While I'm filling the data sheet the receptionist's just gave me I feel it again. The pain in the back of my head. It hits me so hard and off guard that I drop my pen to the floor. The pain's increased so I have to hurry with this.

Day

I've been for half an hour now sitting on this chair, in front of the doctor's desk, trying to explain to him everything that happened, especially the losing-my-memory-and-then-getting-it-back part because he doesn't seem to get it.

"It's impossible" the doctor shakes his head in disbelief as I tell him the story, again. "It's just impossible".

I take a deep breath and count to ten, my patience seems to not be working today so I try to calm down before explain it again.

"It is possible" I assure him "It's happened to me".

He's still shaking his head. "It's not possible that you are here alive, sitting in front of me. A process like that...You can't just get all the memories that you have lost back in a minute. Not without some kind of repercussion"

I run a hand through my hair, because this is where it gets complicated.

"Well" I start saying "It may have some kind of repercussion". And after this I tell him about the return of my headaches and my ocassionally memory lapses.

The doctor's not shaking his head anymore, he's nodding actually. Nodding slowly. He's looking at me but he doesn't seem to be concentrated in my words. His gaze actually seems lost. And sad. Like if he already knew what's going to happen now, and that I'm not going to like it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Do you really think I'm gonna kill Day? What kind of monster do you think I am? Don't worry, him and June will be reunited very soon now. As for Anden, you already know that he's no evil. He never was and I'm pretty sure he'll never be but what I'm trying to do here is show you how power can change people. Blind them. He's not gone, he's just lost his way. Remember that, while I try to guide him to the right path. Now I hope you like this chapter and thank you so much for reading it. **

June

"Long time no see, Robert" I salute the soldier as I approach the door that he's guarding, the door of Anden's office.

His complete face illuminates when he sees me and his rigid position changes, he relaxes a little. "Good" I think.

"Miss Iparis" he says to me with the widest smile I've seen on a long time. "So good to see you again".

Robert was one of the oldest and best soldiers of the California Squadrons and now, one of Anden's personal "bodyguards". We've always had a good relationship, good enough for me to let him call me "Miss Iparis" and not "Commander" as most soldiers do. I actually didn't know that he was going to be right here, since Anden left for another meeting about an hour ago, but someone obviously has to keep an eye on his office.

I try to smile just as wide as he's smiling at me but I'm too nervous.

"You too, Robert"

"The Elector's not here, Miss. Iparis " he says silently and with his head down, as if he was ashamed of himself for not being able to give me what I came looking for. "I'm sorry".

"It's okay" I reassure him "I'm not looking for him".

"Oh" his smile is back.

"He actually sent me here to grab something from his office" I say pointing at the door behind him.

"Oh of course, of course" he says and turns his back on me for a second, inserting the password on the keypad next to the door. I hear an unlocking sound and then I enter the room.

"Too easy" it's what I first think. "He didn't doubt of me at all".

But I don't let myself wander through my thoughts. Instead, I approach the enormous desk and try to memorize the way the paper and files are positioned. Then I start searching through them. It takes me a while but, eventually, I find what I was looking for.

"The Royal Hotel, Antarctica." A name. That's all I need.

I try to put the papers in the same way I memorized them a minute ago and then head out.

Robert's still there looking straight at the wall in front of him. When he sees me heading out, he smiles again.

"Did you find what you were looking for, Miss Iparis?" he asks gently.

This time, I smile back, as widely as him.

"Oh yeah, Robert. I did"

Because Day might not be able to come back but I won't leave him alone either. There's no way I lose him again so even if he can't come back to me, this time I'm coming for him.

June

"So you're really doing this?" Tess asks me over the phone. I already told her my plan: go to Antarctica, find Day and then get back here with Day. Whatever's going on we will fix it once we are all here. It shouldn't be so difficult but Tess's worried.

"Yep" I say to her "It'll be fine, Tess. The only thing I actually have to worry about is not letting Anden find out, because he doesn't want Day to come back and he for sure will not be happy if he finds out I'm bringing him back".

"Yeah about that" Tess's voice goes quiet. "Why doesn't he want Day back?"

"I would sell my soul to find that out" I say sarcastically. Tess doesn't laugh, though.

She actually doesn't speak for a while and I'm about to hung up because I think that the telephone line went dead when she speaks again.

"I think I have to tell you something"

"You think?"

"Yeah" she whispers "I definitely have to tell you something".

I wait for her to tell me what she's talking about but she keeps quiet.

"Okay" I say "Want me to come over?"

"No, it's fine" she says "I'll go"

Twenty minutes later, Tess's knocking on my door. When I open it and I see that Pascao is next to Tess I frown, confused.

"H-hi" I say to him. I haven't seen him in a while now, I thought he had actually moved out of the city. "How are you?"

He smiles and I can tell that he's the same old Pascao.

"What's up, June?" he comes in and hugs me. I hug him back. Pascao and I became closer friends after Day lost his memories and went to Antarctica the first time, ten years ago. We weren't as close as I was with Tess but still, I really liked having him as a friend. And Day did too, even when he didn't remember him. They became friends again really quickly but a few months after Day got back from Antarctica he left. He gave us a lame excuse about having to help a friend out of town and that he will be gone for a while. He never said what town, and even though I was pretty sure Tess knew, I never asked because I thought that if he didn't say it to me it was because he didn't want me to know and it was okay, I respected that. But I haven't heard from him ever since. He might not even know that Day has his memories back.

"So you're finally back?" I ask him casually, maybe now he'll tell me where he's been.

"Kind of" he answers, sitting in the couch next to where Tess has just sat. "I might have to come back"

I clear my throat. "Come back where exactly?"

He looks at me and gives a sad smile. "Well, that's the reason why I'm here". And the he looks at Tess, so I look at Tess. Tess. She wanted to tell me something.

"What did you want to tell me, Tess?" I ask her.

She's sitting very stiff and is definitely nervous. She gives one last look to Pascao before she starts to speak.

"First of all I want you to know that we might be wrong about this"

"About what?" I ask sharply.

"Well, Pascao's been hearing some rumors" she says while she point with her finger at him. "You know, he's always had some...contacts"

"Contacts?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Ex-Patriots" he answers right away.

I nod. "What kind of rumors?"

"Apparently there's this group of people" Tess starts saying.

"A big group of people" Pascao corrects her.

"Yeah, a very big group of people who never agreed about...the Union"

The 'Union' was another way of saying "The Republican Colonies of America". What Tess was trying to say is that some people didn't want the Republic and the Colonies to come together as one single nation.

"The government knew about this people, of course" Pascao goes on "And they tried to...fix this. Basically they changed some things to the way they were long before the war started because back then, they were a very united state and the government wanted this group of people to think that now we are just as united as before, get it?"

I nod my head slowly because I still don't understand where this is headed.

"The results weren't exactly what the government was excepting. People got too excited about this idea of being back to the old days. Now they want everything to be the same it was a few decades ago. And when I say 'everything' I mean it. They even want to change the way of government into something called 'democracy'. It was the way our country used to work, the people chose their leader".

I blink.

"Okay" I mutter slowly "What does this have to do with you going to help a friend?"

"The friend I was trying to help wasn't out of town, he was here. Living in this exact place." Pascao explains "I was trying to help Day because I heard these rumors

that this group of people wanted Day as their leader." he sighs "Guess that didn't please the government very much"

All this information hits me so hard I actually have to step back to keep on balance. My brain was working like crazy, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. Slowly, it all starts to make sense.

The reason why Day and Anden had to discuss "matters of highly national importance".

The reason why Day went back to Antarctica. They made him do it. And then they showed those horrible commercials ruining his image, saying that he didn't love his country, that he was friends with Anden. So people would hate him and don't want him as their leader. Without a leader, this group of rebels would fall apart and the government would have no one threating the system, they would control everything.

"You understand" Tess says. She doesn't say it as a question, she says it more like a fact. I understand. I do. And it's horrible.

"That's why we think Anden doesn't want Day to come back" Tess continues "He wants him out so he can make people hate him without him interfering".

I swallowed. "Do-do you think Day knew this?"

Pascao shakes his head. "No way. They kept it as a secret, they were planning to tell him but later. I only found out because of my 'contacts'"

"You mean the ex-Patriots are this group of people?" I ask him.

"June" he's talking to me the way parents talk to their little children when they want to explain them something complicated. "It's not just the ex-Patriots, it's a really really big group of people. Bigger than you imagine".

"We have to find Day" I say because that's the most important thing now. "We have to find him now"

Tess nods. "We know, but that's why I was worried before. You can't risk to being seen in an airport, Anden's gonna suspect."

"Then what do I do?"

"We have to get you out of here without being seen" Pascao says and then smiles. "Luckily for you, I have some contacts that can help me with that"


	13. Chapter 13

Day

Is the room suppose to be spinning around like these? I've forgotten what it felt like to stand still...or to even stand at all. I've been lying in bed with the lights turned off as soon as Eden got out of our hotel room and I'm not sure if that was an hour ago or a year ago. I feel so dizzy. When I started this new treatment the doctor warned me that it might have some side-effects but I wasn't except them to be so bad. I can't focus into anything, everything is a blur and I don't think I've ever had a stronger headache than this one, I seriously feel like my skull is about to explode. How did I live before this? How could I be happy before feeling this incredibly powerful pain? How can anyone in the world be happy at all when I'm feeling so bad? Everything's wrong, everything's unfocused. What's my name? Where am I?

Memories of my past life flash before my eyes but I'm in too much pain to tell if they are true or not. My mom's dead. True. Eden's dead. Not true. I'm dead. True? It's like if my brain were in the middle of a hurricane of memories and pain and I'm holding onto the tiny little part of sanity left on me because I don't want the hurricane to drag me in, but it's so hard. And just when I'm about to let go, to let it all go, that's when I hear it. When I hear her. The only thing that's right and true in the world. June. Her voice comes to me in echoes but just the slightest whisper is enough. Enough for me to recompose, to hold on, to remember.

I'm Day. I'm on a hotel room in Antarctica because Anden wants me here and I only agreed to it because I need treatment, treatment that I'm getting. And if I have to walk through this hell to get back to June, I will. Because June's real, I haven't just imagined her. She's so real that she's standing right next to me. I could be hallucinating but somehow I know I'm not. I can barely focus on her but I don't need to see her to know she's here. I can feel her. I can feel her words.

"Day" she's whispering to me. She sits next to me on the bed and caresses my hair. "Oh, Day" I can feel the concern on her voice.

I smile at her and try to focus on her. All of a sudden my headache ceases a little, the walls stop spinning around, the dizziness fades. All because of her. She's as gorgeous as always, with her brown soft hair in a ponytail. Her eyes are staring at me worried and sad, and I hate myself for the being the cause of that. I try to get up but when I move the headache increases.

"Shh" she says quietly as she pushes me down again, my head on her lap. "Don't move, it's okay"

"I'm so sorry, June" I whisper almost inaudible "I'll explain..."

"You don't have to" her voice cracks a little as she sobs and that's when I realize that she's been crying the whole time. "I already know"

June's always seemed to be so strong, so unbreakable, just like a good soldier would. And she certainly is but there's only so much someone can take. Everyone has a breaking point. I haven't seen June crying in such a long time that I've completely forgotten what she sounds like when she sobs. It's a sound I'll never want to hear again.

"I'm fine, June" I try to reassure her "I swear it's nothing like the last time, I..."

"Day" she cuts me off softly, still caressing my hair. "Don't. Please. I should be the one reassuring you but I just..." she starts sobbing again, louder this time.

I can't take it, I make an effort and get up again. Ignoring the headache as I turn to look at her eyes and grab her hands.

"I'll be okay, I'm being treated"

She says nothing and doesn't meet my eyes but she's obviously still crying. I get closer and I dry her tears with my hand very carefully.

"How did you even found out?" I ask her, partly because it really intrigue me and partly because I just want to change the subject.

That actually seems to cheer her up and she smiles a little.

"Pascao has way too many contacts"

I smirk. Of course. Pascao.

"So you've seen him? He's back?" I ask her as I lay down again, dragging her with me this time, covering her with my arms. She wraps her arms around my hips and rests her head on my chest.

"Yeah, you won't believe what he's been doing" she answers, supporting my idea of changing the subject.

"Coming from Pascao nothing surprises me anymore"

"Really? Not even the fact that he's been trying to get information about this group of rebels that want to make of you their new _president_"

I sigh. Of course June knew that.

"As I said..." I try to keep my voice calm and casual "nothing surprises me anymore".

"Really?" she asks again, testing me. "Neither the fact that Anden knows this too and has sent you here so he doesn't have to deal with you while he spreads all kind of blasphemies and lies about you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, this caught you out of guard?"

I straighten.

"June, what are you talking about?"

She turns to look at me in the eyes while she says. "It's partly the reason why I came here. Anden's been spreading all over the country a kind of commercial, saying that you and him are BFFs and that you told him that you prefer living here. So this group of rebels will hate you and won't want you as their leader."

"He told me that he just wanted me out of the way so he could appease the rebellion."

She shakes her head slowly. "It was a trick"

"Of course" I sigh "I should've seen this coming, I never should've trusted Anden".

"Yeah" I hear a voice behind me saying "You really shouldn't have done that"

I turn around and freeze. A few soldiers had entered the room, all of them armed, surrounding the Elector of the Republican Colonies of America, who's looking down at me, smiling.

"Anden" I whisper before throwing a punch to his face.


	14. Chapter 14

June

I could tell you the whole story of how I got to Antarctica but it's not that interesting really. Let's just say that when Pascao said that he had contacts he meant contacts with helicopters that could illegally bring me here. After that, it was easy find the hotel where Day was staying since everyone in the city seemed to know it. I decided to ask the receptionist which room was Day's as my first option. I was expecting her to tell me that that information was classified or something but instead, she told me the room number without asking any questions. I didn't stop to think about how suspicious that was. Just like it was with Robert, when he just let me enter Anden's office. And now I realize that I should've stopped to think about that. That way I woudn't have led myself to a trap.

The last thing I remember clearly was Day, whispering Anden's name as he walked into the room with at least ten guards around him . Then, before I could stop him, before I could even realize what was going on, Day punched Anden in the face.

And just like that, Day's surrounded by Anden's guards, all of them aiming their guns at him.

"NO!" I shout as I make my way to him "STOP! DON'T SHOOT HIM"

Anden fell when Day punched him but he was on his feet now, his nose bleeding.

"Do as she says" he orders spitting out blood. "Don't shoot him"

The guards hesitate for a second before dropping their guns to their sides and returning to their rigid positions.

"Really?" Day asks as he slowly approaches Anden "You sure you don't want them to shoot me? You could get rid of me so easily and that's exactly what you want, right? What you've always wanted: to get rid of me"

The guards tense a little.

"Day" I warn him but he doesnt' even turn to look at me. His eyes are focused on Anden's, the first one that looks away, loses.

"There's no need to kill you as long as you do as I say" Anden's pulled out a handkerchief and was now cleaning the blood off his face.

"After how you've tricked me, you might as well shoot me now because I'm not doing that."

"Then I might as well do it"

"Enough" I say before the guards could take that as an order. I step between them, separating them with my arms. I give Day a reproachful look and then, I turn to Anden. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

He steps back at the sound of my voice but he doesn't look at me. "There are only two people that can interfere on the project we've been working on so I needed this people at one single place so I can keep an eye on them." Then finally, he looks at me. "You are the people"

Now it all makes sense. Why Robert let me enter in Anden's office so easily, why the receptionist gave me Day's room number without any questions. Anden wanted me here.

Day scoffs. "Oh, a project you say? What's it call? "Let's make people hate Day"? Have you made t-shirts with that slogan? I bet you even have banners with a red X on my face."

Day was saying this sarcastically having no idea of how close he was to the truth.

"We just need to change this group of rebel's minds, after that you'll be able to come back." Anden's expression was as solemn as always, it seems like nothing can change that, not even being punched on the face. "Until then, stay out if"

"Really?" I ask him "Because you told me a couple of days ago that, and I quote, 'Day's not coming back'"

"I just said that so you would want to come here and 'rescue' him. You may have forgotten, June, but I know how you think"

I ignore that last part but I'm pretty sure Day doesn't. "Then you're letting us go home?" I ask before he can say anything.

Anden doesn't answer right away, as if he was considering it. "Soon"

"And how could we possibly trust you?" Day asks and Anden closes his eyes

In that moment something in his expression changes, he looks...tired. Exhausted actually. Maybe even a little hurt.

"Please Daniel" he pleads out of breath "I want this to be over too"

His eyes are open now but he's looking at the floor.

Somehow I know he's not lying. I'm not saying that I fully trust him, but I just believe on what he's saying. Day doesn't though.

"Of course you want this to be over, how inconvenient it would be if suddenly you wake up and all your power it's taken away from you! How could you possibly survive? You're not doing this for the sake of the country, you're doing this for you. You're just like your father"

I can see the impact Day's words have had on Anden. He's gone too far.

"Day" I say in the exact same time Anden says "Guards"

Oh no, this is not going to end well. I prepare myself for the fight that is obviously coming even though I have no weapons and they have tons. I can see that Day is too, because he's standing between me and the soldiers, trying to protect me.

Anden opens his mouth, ready to order his guards to capture us. Maybe he even changed his mind, maybe he's going to kill us. And then he says:

"Leave us"

I blink, shocked. And so do the guards.

"But sir" one of them is protesting but Anden cuts him off.

"Leave. Us." he repeats.

They look at eachother, unsure, and slowly leave the room.

Once they are all out, Anden clears his throat.

"When I was first became Elector, I swore to myself that I would be a different kind of ruler of what my father was." he says, looking down. "But it's...hard. To rule a country, I mean. I'm not saying that I approve my father's methods but I think I understand him now."

This caught Day totally out of guard, he wasn't expecting this but he doesn't say anything, doesn't interrupt him. And Anden goes on:

"I tried to fight it but it's inevitable. Power can sometimes blind you, and it did that to me. I think it did that to my father too. But I'm not like him, Day" he raises his head and looks at him "If I wake up tomorrow with no power at all, I wouldn't just survive, I'd be happy, I'd have a normal life. Everything that I did was for the sake of the country, the way I did it might not have been the gentlest way but I can assure that this is not about me. I never wanted this, all I ever wanted was..."

His voice trails off and he's not looking at Day anymore. His eyes wander through the room until they finally lay on me. I shake my head slowly.

"Her" Day mutters. "All you ever wanted was her"

I can't speak. I open my mouth but no sound comes out of it, it's like if something was blocking my throat. They are both looking at me now and I don't know what to do. And even if I could speak, what would I say?

Day stares at me for a while. I can't decipher his look, is he angry? Sad? Annoyed? He finally shakes his head and walks out of the room.

That's when my voice comes back "Day" I call him and take a few steps toward him but he's already gone. I want to follow him but Anden is still on the room.

"Go" he says, and then he laughs, a short and sad laugh. "You don't even need my permission, you'll always go after him"


	15. Chapter 15

**There are no words to describe how incredibly sorry I am for not having update until now. I honestly had no clue what to do with this story, I had zero ideas and no inspiration AT ALL to continue it. I hope you still want to read it. Please don't hate me, I really wanted to keep writing I just didn't know how. Sorry again and I hope you like this chapter. I PROMISE I will try to update sooner the next time.**

Day:

"Mr. Wing?" someone's asking but I can't tell who because I haven't opened my eyes yet. I tried but every time I start opening my eyelids there's this white bright light that blinds me and doesn't let me open them further. It burns.

"Mr. Wing?" someone asks again. Then I hear a sigh and the sound of a door opening. Someone is approaching me, I can hear footsteps.

"Day?" this voice I do recognize so I try one last time. The light still makes my eyes hurt but I can manage it now. The first thing I see when I open my eyes is June's concerned face, surrounded by this bright light. She looks like an angel.

"Day?" she tries again. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?" I try to get up but a flashing pain hits me in the back of my head so I lie down again. "It's okay" June whispers to me, carefully pushing me down. "You don't have to get up"

But I do. I want to get out of here. The entire ceiling above me irradiates light. That's why it hurt so much to look at it. It's a very potent light. And the fact that the walls, the floor and the sheets I'm covered with are also white does not really help. Everything is white, even the doctor's smock, who's standing right beside the door, even June's pale face, who's still starting at me, worried.

"I'm fine" I reply but this time I don't try to get up. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" the doctor asks, slowly approaching.

"What should I remember?"

June opens her mouth several times before saying:

"What's the last thing you remember?"

The last thing I remember. Antarctica. Pain. June lying beside me. Me punching Anden. Me being surrounded by his guards. Anden ordering the guards to leave. And then...

I look at June.

"I remember Anden's confession"

She blinks once and apparently decides to avoid that subject.

"Yeah and then...?"

I close my eyes. What happened then? I was angry, I do remember that. I burst out of the room, I remember that too. But then...

"I don't know" I answer shaking my head. "What happened?"

June bites her lower lip and looks away.

"I was-" she says breathing hard "I was expecting that you would remember. You burst out of the room and I tried to follow you but I couldn't find you. And when I did like hours later, you were..."

"What?"

"She found you unconscious, lying in the middle of the street" answers the doctor, that is now standing beside June.

"I remember running away but after that, nothing"

"So you don't remember feeling nauseous or anything before you passed out?"

I shake my head.

"Asphixia? Nothing?"

"No, I mean, I don't know. I can't remember"

"It's alright. We'll keep running a few more tests and we'll let you know the results. I'm sure everything's fine" but the forced cheerful tone on his voice told me otherwise.

The doctor walks out of the room and closes the door, leaving June and I alone.

She sits on a next to my bed that, oh surprise, it's also white, and holds my hand. She's trembling.

"I-" she starts saying and she sounds like she's about to cry. "for a moment I thought you were dead, I-"

"Hey" I say trying to comfort her "I'm okay June, you heard the doctor. Everything's fine. Hey, look at me"

She doesn't so I grab her chin softly. She's crying.

"I'm fine, I promise" I manage a smile, even though every single bone in my body is aching.

"I'm sorry" she mumbles as she wipes away her tears.

"Why?"

"I shouldn't be crying...again. I should be the one comforting you"

"After everything you did for me, the least I can do is comfort you"

"What did I ever do for you? All I ever did was cause you trouble"

"Trouble? You saved my life"

She's frowning and looks like she's about to burst out laughing.

"You have clearly forgotten that time when I tried to kill you. More like, multiple times."

"Ah, the good old days"

She smiles at this and I don't know where but I have once read that if you smile in sad situations, the effort that your muscles were making trying to smile would confuse your brain into letting it think that everything was alright. Because you were smiling. And you don't smile if you're sad. I can say now that whoever wrote that was wrong.

I smiled before and I still felt awful but now, seeing June smiling...it's like nothing could ever be wrong in the world. As long as June smiled I would never feel sad again.

"Come here" I say pulling her closer to me, our lips almost touching, when someone opens the door.

It's Anden. He's only stepped one foot into the room when looks up and realizes what we were about to do.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll come back later" he says and closes the door.

June isn't smiling anymore.

"What is he doing here?" I ask trying to sound calm and polite. I fail.

"Um yeah, I actually wanted to talk to you about it"

"Yeah? About what? About him being deeply and madly in love with you?"

She sighs, exasperated. "How's that my fault?"

"I- I'm sorry" calm down, Day "I'm sorry, you're right. I know you hate him, too"

"Actually" she says, looking at the door, at the place where he's just been. "I don't"

I look at her, frowning. I don't say anything. I just look at her. Because I'm sure that anytime now she'll burst out laughing and say that she was kidding. Because she is kidding...right?

But she doesn't do any of this.

"What?" I ask her in disbelief.

"Day, you have to talk to him. Really, listen him up."

"Listen him up? I already tried to listen him and I ended up here because of that"

"Exactly" she says.

"What?"

"You're here, Day. Do you have any idea where you are? This is the best hospital in Antarctica. All those tests the doctor mentioned earlier, are expensive. A lot. Like millionaire expensive"

"You're saying that Anden paid for all this?"

She nods.

"Then I don't want it" I try to get up again, ignoring the pain.

"Day, come on!"

"No, you come on! I can't trust him, I'll never trust him. I don't know how you can. He tricked me into coming here, and did the same thing with you."

"Yeah because the other option was killing you"

"I'm pretty sure he's been longing to use that backup plan"

"Really, Day? Then why would he be paying for all this? To get you well and healthy and _then_ kill you? Sure, that makes perfect sense"

"I can't-"

"No, Day, stop it. The only reason you refuse to trust him is because you're angry at him. For what he said. About me"

I can't look at her. I turn away and try to calm down. She's right.

"Day" she's whispering and I haven't notice how loud we were screaming at each other until now. "Day, when are you going to understand? You're not gonna lose me. Ever. I love _you, _I've always had and I always will"

I turn to look at her and nod once. Twice. Five times before stepping closer and kissing her.

"I know" I say when we separate, caressing her cheek "I love you, too"

"Can you try to get along with Anden? At least try to listen him up. I think he's in our side"

"Do you really think so?"

She nods.

"Then so do I" I let go of her and head towards the door. "Let's go hear him out. Again"


	16. Chapter 16

June

I guess I can now say that Day and Anden talked and behaved civilly but I wasn't so sure while it was actually happening. Day was distrustful and reserved and the way he looked at him...Well, let's say you could tell they weren't good buddies even from a distance. Anden, on the other hand, was calmed and imperturbable like always. At least on the outside, only someone who knows him quite well would've noticed how eager he actually was. Almost nervous. Almost. We were still in the hospital, not so far from the room where Day was when he woke up, it had the same structure. White walls, white floor, and a white bed covered in white sheets. Only that this room had a gray desk and a couple of chairs around it. Anden let Day sat down first, which he did without taking his suspicious eyes off him, then Anden sat down in front of him and when I was about to sit, they both turned to look at me and said simultaneously "Can you wait outside, June?"

I shook my head a little and tossed a lock of hair behind my ear:

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" and before they could reply I added "because it almost sounded as if you wanted me out of the room. Which wouldn't make sense, right? Considering that I basically arranged all this"

"June..." started Anden but I cut him off.

"No, I'm staying. Someone has to stay here in case there's some..." I looked at Day for a second "trouble"

"We'll be fine" he said.

"Okay, nevermind that. I still want to hear what you guys are gonna talk about."

"I'll tell you later, June. I promise"

"Yeah? The same way you told me that you were going to Antarctica? That's reassuring" Maybe I was being too snarky but in that moment I didn't care, all I wanted was to stay.

"Technically" said Anden, holding up his index finger "I was the one who didn't let him tell you that."

"Oh, right. Matters of highly nation importance. Of course, how could I forget? I'll totally leave now" I said walking towards the door.

"Really?" asked Anden, both confused and surprised.

"Hell no" I said, locking up the door instead "I. Am. Staying. So you guys better start talking"

"I will tell you June, please. We need to talk alone"

"I'm a part of this just as you are, I want to stay. Besides, what are you gonna do? Kick me out?"

And so they did. Well, they didn't "kicked me out" exactly. Anden called one of his guards and he "escorted" me out.

"I love you" said Day before closing the door.

I was so shocked about Anden calling his guard that I couldn't do anything. Because I totally could've beat him if I wanted to.

And now I'm here, with my ear against the door, trying to hear something. Anything. Stupid hospitals with stupid thick soundproof walls. I give up after a while and sit on one of the chairs in the waiting room.

I'm texting Tess what's just happened when a doctor comes to me.

"Excuse me, are you related to Daniel Wing?"

Now, that was a tricky question. Not because I was related, of course I wasn't. But because doctors always tell the important things to the family of the pacient first so if you're not family then they won't tell you a thing.

So I reply "Yes"

The doctor gives me an odd look and raises an eyebrow. "Really? So you kiss all of your brothers or is it just him?"

Dammit. He must've seen us kissing before.

"Okay, I'm her girlfriend"

"Thank God, that would've been awkward."

Apparently we were all snarky today.

"Is there something wrong with Day?"

"I have to speak with his family"

"I'm his family"

"I meant, blood related"

Eden. I have to call Eden. I'm dialing his number when I realize that maybe Day hasn't told him anything yet. He might not even know that he's in the hospital at all. I hesitate only for a second and then press the button "call", hoping Day would forgive me.

He answers pretty quickly "June?" he asks confused.

"Hi, Eden." How the hell do I explain to him what's going on?

"June, I'm so sorry I didn't say goodbye before I left, it's just that Day was so..."

"It's okay" I cut him off "I'm actually in Antarctica, too"

"Really? That's great! Where are you? Let me guess, you're with Day."

"Em yeah, kind of"

"What do you mean?"

"Can you come over, please?"

"Sure, where are you?"

"In the hospital"

June

"Are you okay?" I ask Eden while I give him a glass of water and pat his shoulder. I told him everything in the most delicate way I could but still it's a lot to digest.

"Where's the doctor?" he asks. He looks agitated and nervous. I can tell that he's trying to be strong but the white lights of the hospital illuminate the tears that are forcing their way out of his eyes.

"It's gonna be okay, Eden"

"Where's the doctor?" he asks again. So I lead him to the him.

"Doctor, this is Day's brother. Blood related as you wanted, now what's going on with him?"

The doctor looks just at Eden "Do you authorize her to hear what I'm going to say"

"What? Yes. Tell us"

"Very well, then" he says looking down at the chart he's holding with his hands. "I can see here the surgery from almost eleven years ago that has been performed on Mr. Wing's brain to treat his disorder. It says here too that because of this area that the disorder affected, he did not recall certain events of his life."

"Or people" I add bitterly.

"But then, he got his memory back. Which seemed to be impossible. But the headaches returned as well, and let's not forget about the lapses of memory." the doctor was shaking his head now. "It's very difficult to explain but we'll have to do one last surgery on his brain. If everything goes as planned then he'll never have to go through this surgery again."

"If everything goes as planned? What do you mean? It's a difficult surgery?" asks Eden, almost desperately.

"Every operation on the brain is difficult" the doctor replies with a sad, sad smile.

"So you...You can't guarantee his safety? It's that what you're trying to say?That's risky?"

"We'll certainly do our best, but what you're saying it's the worst case scenario. There are also other things"

"What?"

"Even if the operation goes as planned and he survives, he'll go back to the state he was after the first surgery"

"You mean..."

No. No, no, no, no, no. NO.

"What happens if you don't operate on him?" I ask trying to find another way. Because there's no way in hell...

"Well..." he doesn't need to finish that sentence. It's perfectly clear. So the other option is not an option at all.

Eden, on the other hand, doesn't seem to get it.

"Wait, what do you mean 'the state he was before'?"

The doctor should've answered this looking at him, since he was the one who asked the question. But for some reason, a reason that I don't want to understand, he's looking at me. I close my eyes and hold my breath, hoping to be wrong.

Unfortunately, I'm not.

"He'll lose his memory again"

In that exact moment Day and Anden come out of the room.

"Perfect timing" I think.

"We have it all figured out now, sweetheart" Day says putting an arm around me. Then he notices Eden standing besides me with a shocked expression on his face.

"Oh, crap" he mutters.

Oh crap, indeed.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading and sorry about my horrible cliff-hangers, I'm working on them. **_

_**Hope you like this chapter :)**_

Day

"Eden" I slowly approach to him but he's not looking at me. I don't even know if he noticed my presence at all. He's staring down at the ground, his jaw and fists clenched.

"Eden" I repeat, standing right beside him but he still doesn't look at me. I gently grab his arm and push him aside to speak to him in private. "I can explain"

"Day" I hear June calling for me but I don't turn around "Day, I already did"

"Good" is the only thing I say, never taking my eyes off my little brother "Then you'd know that there's nothing to worry about. That I'm completely fine"

He still won't look at me. Why won't he look at me?

"Right, June?" I say, hoping she'd support me. I can feel her standing right behind me but she doesn't say anything.

Then finally, Eden looks at me, tears covering his eyes, probably blurring his vision.

I can tell how much he's trying to hold back the tears and how much that's not helping.

"It's gonna be okay" I say again even though I know he doesn't believe me. _I'm_ not even sure I believe it. "It's gonna be okay"

Eden nods slowly, not looking at me but through me, as if he sees something I can't see, but still nods. Then nods again. He's still nodding when he comes over and hugs me and then he buries his head on my shoulder. I hug him back.

Suddenly, June joins in the hug too, putting her arms around my waist and resting her cheek on my back.

When we break apart, and I look around me, I let out a nervous laugh.

"Okay, guys" I say as I watch everyone in the room; Eden sobbing, June smiling awkwardly, Anden looking clearly uncomfortable and just as clueless as I am, and the doctor. Why's the doctor here? "Guys, you're freaking me out a little. Why are you acting like someone just died?"

Okay, apparently that's _not_ a good joke to make right now.

June blinks and keeps her eyes shut for a few second longer than usual. Then blinks several times. As if, holding back the tears?

Confused, I turn around to face the doctor. "Doc?"

He sighs but instead of replying to me, he looks at June and Eden. "He'll have to find out sooner or later" And they nod.

Eden nods twice.

Day

When the doctor is done with his explanation, I can't help but laughing.

"Um" he says, clearing his throat. That probably wasn't the reaction he was expecting. "Do you feel well, Mr. Wing?"

I bend, with one hand on my stomach and the other on my left knee. I'm laughing so hard it hurts. But I laugh anyway. Cause it's so freaking hilarious.

"You're saying-" I manage to say, repressing a smile "You're saying it's gonna happen to me again? I'm gonna forget it all?"

"Not everything, no. Just what you forgot the last time they perfomed this surgery on you"

Yeah, and see how well _that_ turned out.

I'll forget June. Again.

Suddenly, I don't feel like laughing anymore. I sigh and rub my fingers on my temple.

"Hilarious" I whisper, closing my eyes. "Freaking hilarious"

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Wing" the doctor says to me. He looks so tired. I wonder how many times a day he has to deliver bad news like this. I wonder if he still feels anything when he does. I guess after doing it a lot of times he just got used to the pain. That doesn't mean that pain's gone. It's still there but you just don't...feel it as strongly as you felt it before.

"You must know" he goes on "that getting your entire memories back wasn't part of the plan before and it is not part of the plan now"

"What do you mean?"

"If the surgery is done correctly, that means you will not get you memories back" As he says this, I catch a glimpse of hurt in his eyes. Maybe he _does_ feel something. "Ever"

"How long-" I try to formulate the right question but it's very hard for me to focus right now. "How much time do I have?"

His eyes widens as he shakes his head. "You're not saying..."

"How much, doc? Without the surgery"

"I-I'm not entirely sure" he's so startled. I bet he doesn't get asked questions like this very often. What can I say? I'm kind of in a mood. "Maybe one month. Two, top"

"Okay" I reply as I head toward the door where June, Eden and Anden are waiting outside. "That gives me some time"

"You're not seriously considering-" the doctor starts saying but I leave and close the door before he finishes.

June

On our way to the hotel, none of us says a word. Anden's staying in the same hotel as we are, but in a special room since he's the Elector and everything. And I guess I'll be staying in Day and Eden's room, which would've been weird in other circumstances, but right now? I have others things to worry about. I keep glancing discretely at Day when he's not looking but I know that he's noticed and that it annoys him. I can't help it. I feel like if I look away for more than a few minutes, he'll dissapear. Which, eventually he will. At least, his memories of me will.

I'm torn between anger and sadness but I'm determined to not cry. I'm done crying. Specially in front of Day._ I_ have to comfort _him_, not otherwise.

But then I look at him again, this time not discretely, and study his profile. The way the sun setting illuminates his features and brightens the color of his eyes. He notices me looking and turns around, facing me. Studying me in the same way I'm studying him. And it's the moment his eyes lock with mine that I feel it. We're walking in the middle of the street, cars and people around us, and I might crash into someone or get hit by a car and I wouldn't care. As long as those blue eyes were still looking at me everything would be fine. At least that's what I thought until I visited him in the hospital the day he lost his memory, ten years ago. Those exact same blue eyes looked at me, like they've done so many times before, but it was that frown on his forehead. That frown that told me he was confused. Disoriented. Because he didn't know who I was. Because he didn't remember me. After that, it took me so long to trust those blue eyes again. And now that I do, I'll have to start doubting them again.

He won't look at me like this, never again. That tenderness and affection will be gone. Not even recognition will be left.

Swallowing hard, I bite my lip and look away.

When we arrive at the hotel, Anden nods at Day and leaves, saying nothing. Eden goes to say something to the receptionist and when he comes back, he says:

"I'm moving to another room so you two can have some...privacy" the slightest grin showing up in his mouth "I'll come to pick up my things tomorrow, I'm so tired I'll skip dinner and just go to sleep"

He rests a hand in Day's shoulder for a second and then lets go "Goodnight"

Day smiles at him but the second he turns around, his smile fades.

Once we're in our room, he lies down on the bed with his hands behind his head and closes his eyes. I sit on the edge.

We're silent for a moment and I'm about to get up because I think he's fallen asleep when he says:

"Do you remember that time I told you you were brilliant?"

I remember a lot of people telling me how brilliant I was. "She's a prodigy" they used to say "She scored a 1500 on her trial" but I don't recall Day saying it to me.

Day assums my silence as a no and opens his eyes. He stares at the ceiling for a few seconds and then at me "I told you that you were brilliant but that you were a fool for staying with someone like me"

I do remember but I say nothing, trying to see where he's heading with this. Bringing back old memories. Memories he'll forget.

"Do you have any regrets?" he asks me.

I get up, take off my coat and lie next to him. He turns around to face me. I still haven't said anything.

He touches my cheek but his hand and I can feel his hand trembling a little. He's afraid I might say yes.

"Do you remember what I said to you after that?" I ask him, whispering.

He nods but I say it anyway "I said that then we were both fools"

"But I was wrong" I go on " Being with you...it was the less foolish thing I've ever done"

"It's not like you've done a lot of foolish things" he replies, grinning. "You're a prodigy, remember?"

"So are you"

"Yeah, that didn't really stop me from getting into trouble"

"But it also got you _out_ of trouble"

He suddenly gets up and sits on the edge of the bed, his back on me.

"I got you into trouble, June. I'm trouble, I'm always hurting you." His voice sounds muffled.

"Day-" I say getting closer to him, grabbing his arm.

"I'm not forgetting you again"

"Well, I'm not letting you die"

"June-"

I get up too and imitate his tone.

"Day"

"I have two months"

"Stop it! You're not going to die. Not for me"

"I can't live without you"

"You won't even remember me, you'll move on"

"Will_ you_?"

_No, I won't. I never will. I'll never love anyone ever again. My heart will break in a way that no one will ever be able to fix._

That's what I want to say, instead I tell him yes. Because that's how much I love him. I can't be selfish with him.

He has to live, even if it kills _me_.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Day

"Good morning, sunshine"  


"What the-" I open my eyes at the sound of a voice and when I find Pascao a few inches away from my face, I jolt and get up brusquely.

"Hmm?" June asks groggily as she wakes up. She rubs her eyes and yawns. She looks around disoriented, then focuses on Pascao and her eyes widen in shock. "Pascao, what the hell!?" she asks alerted as she covers herself with the sheets.

"Pascao, what are you doing? I told you to knock!" That's Tess, who's just entered the room and, unlike Pascao, looks embarassed and apologetic. "I'm sorry, I told him to knock" that's directed to us.

"I _did_ knock" answers Pascao "I got no response so I just walked in"

"How did you even opened the door?" asks June, all trace of sleep gone. "You need a key"

"Oh, June" says Pascao with sigh and a smirk "Sweet, innocent June. I never need a key"

"Would you mind telling us what on Earth are you doing here?" I demand. I'm so tired, I just wanna get back to sleep. I'm not like June. I can't just wake up and turn on alert mode. I need my eight hours of beauty sleep.

"Right, that" says Tess, a little nervous. "Anden, I mean, the 'Elector' told us to come"

"He told _me_ to come" Pascao corrects her "You just came along"

"And thank God I did or no one would've stopped you from stepping into every room of this hotel without knocking"

"I _did_ knock"

"You did _not_"

"Guys" I interrupt them, rubbing my eyes with my hands "Please, too early"

"Sorry" says Tess. She looks way too apologetic, and she keeps glancing at me nervously which means she knows what's going on with me. I bet June told her. "So, the Elector told Pascao to come, he said you guys needed to ask him a few questions about the rebels"

"You do?" June looks at me with her eyebrows raised, clearly offended I haven't told her.

"Yeah, right. I totally forgot, sorry" I say, ignoring June's question.

"It's okay, don't worry" Tess answers quickly. She's smiling and even if I didn't know her at all, I would've realized that she's faking it. She's being too gentle with me. Too sympathetic.

I ignore her comment, too. "Can you guys let us get dressed? We'll talk to Anden later"

"Yeah, sure, of course" mumbles Tess as she and Pascao leave the room.

The instant they close the door, I lie down again and close my eyes.

"Quickly" I say to June, pushing her down to me. "We can sleep for another five minutes"

"Come on" she untagles from my arms and gets up.

"Your loss" I whisper and turn around, hugging my pillow.

"It's actually yours but sure, whatever helps you sleep at night"

I can tell that she's trying to lighten the mood. To don't make me think about the fact that I'm irredeemably dying. I appreciate the effort, at least she's better at it than Tess, so I go along with it.

"That's the problem, I can't get any sleep."

"Really? I thought the problem was that you didn't tell me about the whole Pascao thing"

"Well" it takes everything in me to get up "I certainly won't get any sleep now"

"Was that what you guys discussed in the hospital yesterday? I totally forgot to ask you about that"

"Yeah" I answer as I put my pants and my socks on, trying to avoid looking at her. "Anden found out that most of the rebels were ex-Patriots so we thought maybe Pascao could help us contact them"

"And why do you want to contact them?"

"Because I need to talk to them"

I'm searching for my t-shirt but June spots it before I do and grabs it. When I try to grab it from her, she pulls it away so I have to face her. "And what are you going to say to them?"

I grab the shirt and put it on "That I don't want to be their leader"

June

"Sorry man, but I have no idea" Pascao's sitting in front of Day, Anden and me. The hotel's personnel let us use one of their conference rooms to talk privately. Tess's waiting outside, and that's where I would be right now if it would've been up to Day and Anden. But that's _not_ happening again.

Anden's just asked him if he knew anything about the whereabouts of this groups of rebels that wanted to change the whole government system since Day wanted to tell them in person that he did not want to be a part of it. It makes sense. If they don't have a leader, they're weak. Maybe his refusal will discourage them and will erase their enthusiasm. There's a chance of ending this war before it even starts.

I still don't know how to feel about that. What I do know is that Day's already going through so much, he doesn't need anything else to worry about. That's why I'm doing this.

"But you said that you were with them" I ask him "That's where you've been all this time. You weren't helping a friend, you were trying to get some information about them, right?

"I _was_ helping a friend. You" he answers, pointing at Day "I heard these rumors about people wanting to change the system or whatever. I didn't really care about it until they mentioned Day's name. And I did go to get some information but they were all rumors that people were whispering on the streets. It's not like I could've arranged an appointment with a receptionist or something. I never talked to anyone from that group directly"

"And where exactly did you hear these rumors?" asks Anden as polite as ever.

"They're everywhere, dude. I don't get what's point of keeping this a secret, everyone already knows."

"_I_ didn't know" Day points out.

"Of course not, you couldn't know. You would've freaked out and backed off. And since that's pretty much what you're doing now, they were right in doing that"

"For someone who has never spoken directly to this group of rebels" says Anden, suspicious "you definitely seem to know a lot about them"

"You don't have to be one of them to realize this, you genius" answers Pascao, clearly annoyed by his indirect accusation. "It's called 'common sense'"

Apparently, Anden decides to ignore the insult behind his sarcasm or he's just too concentrated thinking about something else. "No, it actually makes no sense whatsoever. To become stronger, they need everyone they can get. What's the point of keeping it so clandestine? They _need_ people to know where they are, to join them. I mean, they sure have to keep some level of secrecy because what they're doing it's obviously illegal but this is too much. They must have meetups, they must have some sort of arrangement to decide who their leader is going to be. There has to be a base somewhere."

"Haven't you checked like, everywhere?"

"We did" he sighs and looks away, hopeless. "Can you at least give us a list of names of the people you talked to?"

Pascao considers it for a while but then nods. "Yeah, sure"

"Wait" I say as something comes into my mind "You said everyone already knows about this, right?" He nods "And I bet they've been spying on Day, as well. They'd want to know if he finds out, right?"

"Yeah, I guess" says Pascao slowly, not following me.

"Then all he has to do is give them a sign. Like a message. That he doesn't want to be a part of it and that will be enough, right? To discourage them?"

Anden nods a few times, looking at the wall, considering my idea."Yes, that might be enough"

"Okay, so how do I leave this message?"

"You could make a press conference" I suggest to Anden but he shakes his head, saying no. But then reconsiders it.

"Well, I could call for a press conference but it would've to be about a different topic and Day would've to broadcast his message indirectly"

"Why?" I ask, confused "Everyone already knows about the rebels"

"Everyone in this country, maybe. But a press conference could be seen by the rest of the world and they cannot find out about this situation"

"Okay so, a secret message" Day rests his elbows on the table, holding his face with his hands. "Any ideas?"

I sigh, already exhausted. This might be harder than what I thought it would be.


End file.
